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Now You KnowFri, 22 Feb 2019 06:01:25 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.9A man named Bowser is Nintendo of America’s new president and we’re not jokinghttps://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/22/man-named-bowser-nintendo-americas-new-president-not-joking/
https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/22/man-named-bowser-nintendo-americas-new-president-not-joking/#respondFri, 22 Feb 2019 06:01:25 +0000https://www.techly.com.au/?p=101770The new president of Nintendo of America is named Bowser and fans are going wild. Doug Bowser has been named as the new president of Nintendo of America after the ... Read more

The new president of Nintendo of America is named Bowser and fans are going wild.

Doug Bowser has been named as the new president of Nintendo of America after the retirement of Reggie Fils-Aime.

“With a name like Bowser, who better to hold the keys to the Nintendo castle?” Fils-Aime said of his successor in a video message posted today on Twitter.

The announcement is nothing out of the ordinary for the general public, but for long-time Nintendo fans, it’s become the juiciest of inside jokes.

For those who are somehow unaware: Bowser – also known as the monstrous King Koopa or the Sorcerer King – is the main antagonist in Nintendo’s iconic Super Mario franchise.

Yep, Bowser is the most charismatic and popular villain in the Nintendo universe; the talking, fire-breathing, anthropomorphic turtle-like beast with the habit of kidnapping Princess Peach. He has not only appeared in every Mario game but also in several spinoffs and other Nintendo titles, including Mario Kart, Mario Golf and even Tetris Attack.

Bowser also features in the 1993 live-action film, where he is portrayed by Oscar nominee Dennis Hopper.

The coincidence is just too charming and absurd to let it pass, and Nintendo fans have taken to social media to salute and poke fun at the new chief. Fans had already noticed Bowser in 2015 when he was hired as vice president of sales, but the new role has revived a fresh round of memes on Twitter.

A man named Doug ‘BOWSER’ is the new President of Nintendo of America. I spotted something terrifying in the background. pic.twitter.com/TqMIJNaRRi

Google has unintentionally exposed some of Taiwan’s hidden surface-to-air missile sites after releasing updated maps of the island nation last week.

Google’s impressively detailed renderings of Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan and Taichung revealed to the world a clean view at some of the territory’s defence infrastructure, including views of the National Security Bureau, secret Patriot missile bases and the Military intelligence Bureau.

Tensions between Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic territory, and China trace back to the 17th and 18th centuries, with strong military and political tensions escalating and de-escalating over the last century.

China has declared in the past that they are willing to use military force to achieve reunification if necessary, which makes a leak like this something to be concerned about for Taiwanese authorities.

Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa has urged the public to keep calm and played down the incident, insisting that the “location of defence infrastructure in times of peace does not indicate its location during times of war.” The Ministry is in talks with Google to find a solution for upcoming updates.

“Actually, the confidential parts are all inside the structures which would be highly difficult to expose through the 3D maps,” a defence official told the South China Morning Post in an attempt to pour some cold water over the speculation.

This hasn’t been the first time the island has faced a similar situation. Back in 2016, the Taiwanese defense ministry had to ask Google to blur out a military installation on an island in the South China Sea known as Itu Aba.

]]>https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/22/google-maps-update-accidentally-exposes-secret-military-sites-taiwan/feed/0As Ben Affleck hangs up the cape, who should be the next Batman?https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/22/ben-affleck-hangs-cape-heres-next-batman/
https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/22/ben-affleck-hangs-cape-heres-next-batman/#respondThu, 21 Feb 2019 21:00:44 +0000https://www.techly.com.au/?p=101133With Matt Reeves developing a new Batman film depicting a younger version of Bruce Wayne, the mystery of who’s going to be cast as the next dark knight is slowly ... Read more

With Matt Reeves developing a new Batman film depicting a younger version of Bruce Wayne, the mystery of who’s going to be cast as the next dark knight is slowly taking over the internet’s collective mind.

After years of speculation, Warner Bros has at last set an official date and director for the next big screen incarnation of Batman. Back in 2016, it was rumoured that Oscar-winning director Ben Affleck would not only star in but also write and direct the new entry, but now we know that plan has been completely scrapped and Affleck is officially stepping aside as the caped crusader.

Early February, Warner Bros announced the new film titled The Batman is scheduled for a June 25, 2021 release and will be directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, War for the Planet of the Apes).

Reportedly, this new version will show a younger version of Bruce Wayne, although it will not have anything to do with the most famous reboot of the character so far: Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One from 1987.

The announcement has fans flexing their brains all kinds of crazy predictions do the rounds.

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington, new Marvel supervillain Jake Gyllenhaal and Mad Men heart-throb John Hamm have been rumoured for months to be on the radar for the role, but the new revelation that this particular version will portray a younger Bruce Wayne may leave some of them out of the race.

Even teen idol Nick Jonas has thrown his hat into the ring with a tongue-in-cheek comment on Hypebeast’s Instagram account that made his fans go wild.

Mexican actor Diego Boneta auditioned as Batman in Hollywood Reporter’s “THR audition room” back in 2013, and his clip has been dug out by fans and brought forward for consideration.

Other not-so-obvious names have been thrown out on social media, like Sam Heughan (Outlander), Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy), Will Poulter (The Maze Runner) and Christopher Abbott (First Man).

But among all the actors that have been rumoured over the past couple of weeks, it’s Armie Hammer (The Social Network) who seems to be the favourite to portray Gotham’s caped crusader. Not a surprise if we take into account that he was already cast as Batman in George Miller’s failed project Justice League: Mortal.

This week, Armie Hammer popped up again strong on social media when various news outlets started spreading “inside information” revealing the actor was in final talks to portray the character, but such reports where debunked shortly after surfacing.

I’m not in the business of debunking bunk but considering everyone got in a tizzy over this…there is no truth to the below. Being told there haven’t even been any actor meetings for THE BATMAN. (But that doesn’t mean Reeves and WB don’t have ideas of who they would like) https://t.co/8CB8aHARID

Who do I think should portray Batman? Well, to be honest, I don’t think the world needs another Batman film at the moment. Like, come on, every Batman film after The Dark Knight (2008) has been terrible or, at best, mildly tolerable.

While movie adaptations have pretty much sucked for the last decade, the two latest runs of the caped crusader in comic book form have been critical and commercial successes. Scott Snyder and Tom King have rendered versions of the “world’s greatest detective” that has been beloved by fans and labelled one of the all-time best. Clearly, something is not working among studio heads, because there is heaps of good material to adapt.

Adam West played Batman in the eponymous 1960s live action TV series.

Warner and DC should just let the character stay away from the big screen for a couple of years while they take enough time to develop a really strong adaptation – a carefully created adaptation should rake at least a billion at the box office. What they’re doing currently is hurting a franchise that’s based on one of the most recognisable characters in popular culture.

What is your pick? Who do you think has the necessary screen presence to portray young Bruce Wayne in the next Bat-flick? More importantly, do you think the world needs another Batman movie?

As a bonus, here’s a clip of Christian Bale’s audition for Batman Begins, with a little help from Amy Adams as Rachel Dawes.

]]>https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/22/ben-affleck-hangs-cape-heres-next-batman/feed/0Palm oil: Why it’s so controversial and how you can avoid ithttps://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/22/palm-oil-controversial-avoid/
https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/22/palm-oil-controversial-avoid/#respondThu, 21 Feb 2019 19:00:37 +0000https://www.techly.com.au/?p=101068Palm oil plantations are decimating orangutan populations, devastating biodiversity, exacerbating global warming and evicting native people from their lands… so why is their byproduct in 50 per cent of packaged ... Read more

Palm oil plantations are decimating orangutan populations, devastating biodiversity, exacerbating global warming and evicting native people from their lands… so why is their byproduct in 50 per cent of packaged food we buy, and is there a better alternative?

Palm oil is so deeply entrenched in your daily routine, you probably don’t even know it’s there. It’s in 50 per cent of supermarket goods, including biscuits, ice cream, shampoos, chocolate, toothpaste, cosmetics, margarine, pastries, detergent, chips, muesli bars, frozen meals and so much more. Unless you’re carefully avoiding it, you almost certainly eat it and slather it on your body every day.

Understandably, this makes it quite hard to spot. The list is so long most of us have no hope of remembering it while trying in vain to be responsible citizens at the supermarket.

Companies try to disguise palm oil for a number of reasons: its production is responsible for deforestation, social justice issues and large scale carbon emissions.

Deforestation and catastrophic species loss

Palm crops can only be easily grown in tropical climates, which are often among the most biodiverse in the world. The rapid expansion of palm oil plantations throughout Indonesia and Malaysia – where nearly 90 per cent of the world’s palm oil originates from – has wreaked havoc on biodiversity in recent years by destroying vast swathes of unique rainforest. West African and South American plantations are also expanding to feed our insatiable demand.

Nine million hectares, an area significantly bigger than Tasmania, has already been cleared in Indonesia. According to a report by the UN’s Environment Program (UNEP), “98% of Indonesia’s forest may be destroyed by 2022, the lowland forest much sooner.”

That’s not good news for the many endemic species that call these rainforests home, including species of elephants, tigers, orangutans and rhinoceroses on the brink of extinction. In many cases, these forests are the last place on earth where these species can be found.

Human rights abuses

Animals aren’t the only ones suffering. Many palm oil producers justify the destruction by citing “job creation” for people in developing nations. Unfortunately, the wealth from palm oil is unevenly distributed and the industry is fraught with instances of forced labour and child labour. Other reports have found palm plantations actually increase population poverty in their vicinity, and access to healthcare per capita decreases. In light of this, the jobs argument rapidly loses sway.

Additionally, land rights contests are rife from Colombia to Cameroon to Indonesia. Indigenous people who live in – and rely on – the forest are being forcibly removed from their homes by industry giants and governments to make way for palm oil.

Carbon emissions

Destroying rainforests for palm oil is directly contributing to climate change. Peatland, which covers much of Indonesia, stores an astonishing amount of carbon. When it is burnt and drained, this carbon is released into the atmosphere. Carbon emissions estimates for tropical deforestation vary from 6 to 18 per cent of carbon emissions globally.

Health problems

Palm oil is also not particularly good for you (though the continued reigns of the McDynasty and Big Tobacco prove we don’t really care so much about that). Also, most alternatives to palm oil aren’t really much better for your health.

What about “sustainable” palm oil?

Only buying products with Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) is better than nothing; it shows corporations that people are awake to the problem. However, truly sustainable palm oil is not really available yet.

Most importantly, there’s no such thing as truly “sustainable” given the current growth of demand – at this rate, much more forest will inevitably need to be cleared.

What other options exist?

Disregarding palm oil’s problems, it’s obvious why it’s such a viable oil. Per year, one hectare of land can produce about 0.38 tonnes of soybean oil, 0.48 tonnes of sunflower oil, 0.67 tonnes of rapeseed oil or more than 3.7 tonnes of palm oil. The problem is the location of the hectare: palm oil grows best close to the equator where biodiversity is richest, unique species abound and indigenous populations still live traditional lives.

Scientists are working on future solutions, like heterotrophic algal oil, which can be grown in factories without requiring specific locations, though it hasn’t yet been deemed viable.

The best Australian consumers can do at the moment is to avoid products containing palm oil, spread demand across different Australian-grown and regulated alternatives like soybean, sunflower, canola and olive oils and call for more transparency in labelling laws.

Hackers managed to copy malware into the MHG’s servers, which corrupted their data and locked them out of patients’ files for more than three weeks.

Although the origin of the hackers is unclear, the malware used to infiltrate and cripple unit’s security network is thought to be from North Korea or Russia.

After infecting MHG’s data, the criminals demanded a ransom to be paid in cryptocurrency in exchange for the password that could break the encryption so medical staff could access the files again.

According to The Age, the ransom was paid but the criminals didn’t deliver. Some of the corrupted files could not be recovered, among them the personal details and sensitive medical information of many patients.

MHG is now in administrative chaos, with some patients having their appointments disappear and others having their medical records lost with no explanation.

Commonwealth security agencies are now investigating the attack. The Australian Cyber Security Centre said it would assist with cyber security advice.

“The protection of personal patient information is of the utmost importance … patient privacy has not been compromised in this instance,” said an MHG spokesperson.

MHG dismissed fears criminals could have accessed data that would allow them to compromise cardiac implantable electrical devices, like pacemakers and defibrillators.

Professor Matt Warren, Deputy director of Deakin University’s Centre for Cyber Security Research, said the data breach was most likely a “ransomware” attack.

He explains that it’s probable that the infection could’ve come from a malicious link on a phishing email, which a member of staff may have clicked and inadvertently allowed the malware to enter the hospital’s system.

“It’s sophisticated in that you have to get the malware onto the hospital system, but once you have done that then it is relatively easy,” he told The Age.

“Other than the cost it isn’t hard to be protected from this … organisations need to update and patch their security and systems regularly because the problem you have is the hackers’ capabilities are becoming more sophisticated.”

]]>https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/21/cyber-criminals-hack-medical-files-melbourne-heart-clinic-demand-ransom/feed/0Samsung unveils Galaxy Fold and four new S10 smartphoneshttps://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/21/samsung-unveils-galaxy-fold-four-new-s10-smartphones/
https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/21/samsung-unveils-galaxy-fold-four-new-s10-smartphones/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 23:09:30 +0000https://www.techly.com.au/?p=101726After months of leaks and speculation, Samsung has officially announced a range of new phones at its Unpacked event. Galaxy Fold Among the new products is the Galaxy Fold, the ... Read more

After months of leaks and speculation, Samsung has officially announced a range of new phones at its Unpacked event.

Galaxy Fold

Among the new products is the Galaxy Fold, the company’s first foldable smartphone. The device has a foldable 7.3-inch display that can be opened like a book to become a tablet; a thin 4.58-inch traditional display comes to the front when the device is ‘closed’, allowing the user to use it as a regular phone.

Samsung revealed the Fold can run three apps simultaneously when in tablet mode, which is undoubtedly the reason an astonishing 12GB of RAM has been crammed into the device. Apps will shift between the cover and tablet display as you open and close the phone.

It also has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, 512GB of storage and six cameras: three on the rear, one on the ‘cover’ (faces the front when folded) and two inside the fold for selfies and video calls.

To help run the extra cameras, displays and apps, the Fold has two wirelessly rechargeable batteries for a total of 4380mAh.

The Fold will be released in the States in April for an eye-watering US$1980 (A$2764), although there’s no word yet on an Australian price. Those keen on getting their hands on one will reportedly need to express interest on the Samsung website, but exactly where remains unclear. According to PC World, Samsung Australia says Aussies will be among the first to see the Fold when it launches, suggesting an April or early May release Down Under.

Galaxy S10, S10e, S10+ and S10 5G

The Galaxy Fold wasn’t the only big announcement from Samsung this morning: the tech giant also unveiled the Galaxy S10, S10e, S10+ and S10 5G to round out the five new smartphones announced at the event.

The Galaxy S10 features a 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED curved edge display – what Samsung is calling the Infinity-O Display – and a total of four cameras: one selfie camera and telephoto, wide-angle and ultra-wide cameras on the rear.

The fingerprint sensor sits behind the display, while the front-facing camera lies in a cutout in the top right corner. Under the hood, the S10 runs in Android 9 Pie and has 8GB of RAM and a 3400mAh battery.

The S10+ follows the usual trend, offering a larger 6.4-inch screen, a more powerful battery and a depth-sensing front camera, but is otherwise much the same as its smaller sibling.

Things get interesting with the S10e, which seems to be a direct answer to Apple’s iPhone XR. This smaller, cheaper Galaxy variant has a 5.8-inch display and a 3100mAh battery, drops the curved edges for a flat design and trades the ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor for a more traditional sensor on the side of the phone.

It also loses the telephoto lenses boasted by the S10 and S10+, but otherwise compares favourably to its bigger brothers.

While the three aforementioned S10 variants will launch on March 8, Samsung will also launch the Galaxy S10 5G as an ultra high-end device within the next few months.

Interestingly, Samsung has announced the wireless charging capabilities of every new phone allows you to charge other devices with Wireless Powershare: touch the phone to another phone or compatible device to share battery power between the two.

The S10 and S10e are available in Prism White, Prism Black and Prism Green, while the S10+ is also available in Ceramic White and Ceramic Black. All Prism models use a polished metal frame, while the special ceramic finish on the S10+ reportedly adds further durability.

The S10 starts at $1349 (128GB) and $1699 (512GB) in Australia, while the S10+ starts at $1499 (128GB Prism variant) and goes up to $2399 (1TB Ceramic). The S10e costs a set $1199 for the 128GB model.

Samsung is yet to reveal how much the S10 5G will cost when it arrives but admitted it will cost more than any other S10, meaning there’s a good chance the starting price will exceed the $2500 mark.

What else?

Smartphones weren’t the only new products to feature Samsung’s Unpacked event. The company also unveiled Galaxy Buds, its new wireless, touch-enabled in-ear buds which come with a portable case that doubles as a charger.

Also unveiled were three new wearables in the Galaxy Watch Active, the Galaxy Fit and the Galaxy Fit e. The Watch Active is a more premium sports watch, while the Galaxy Fit and Fit e offer simpler fitness tracking capabilities for more casual users. Samsung is yet to announce pricing or availability in Australia for the three new wearables.

]]>https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/21/samsung-unveils-galaxy-fold-four-new-s10-smartphones/feed/0Researchers track down owner of working USB found in frozen seal poohttps://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/21/researchers-track-owner-working-usb-found-frozen-seal-poo/
https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/21/researchers-track-owner-working-usb-found-frozen-seal-poo/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 19:00:53 +0000https://www.techly.com.au/?p=101631Two weeks ago, a USB stick was found in a frozen sample of seal poop that scientists had stored for almost a year. In the most unlikely of miracles, they ... Read more

Two weeks ago, a USB stick was found in a frozen sample of seal poop that scientists had stored for almost a year. In the most unlikely of miracles, they managed to find the owner.

This fairy tale of poo, data and luck starts at New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and their leopard seal program. One of the most recurrent methods researchers use to study these animals is to look at their excrement, which is where scientists find information about the animal’s health, diet and movements.

To collect the precious poo, the institute relies on volunteers who collect the samples and send them to the NIWA.

A sample picked up at Oreti Beach about a year ago was defrosted in early February and scientists were surprised to find it contained a USB stick.

To make matters even more incredible, after the scientists extracted and cleaned it, they realised it was still working. On the USB they found some kayaking footage showing frolicking seals in Porpoise Bay on the South Island.

The institute tweeted the footage hoping the owner would recognise the clip and claim the missing USB stick, and against all odds, the owner actually appeared.

NIWA is searching for the owner of a USB stick found in the poo of a leopard seal…
Recognise this video? Scientists analysing the scat of leopard seals have come across an unexpected discovery – a USB stick full of photos & still in working order! https://t.co/2SZVkm5az4pic.twitter.com/JLEC8vuHH0

What’s even more bizarre is that the person turned out to be the very volunteer who found the scat sample and sent it to NIWA in the first place.

A year ago, the owner was shooting some footage while kayaking at Oreti Beach, when she spotted and reported what appeared to be a sickly looking seal. While a vet was dispatched to check on the adorable predator, she noticed some poo nearby and decided to collect it and send it to the NIWA. Because why not, right?

The seal was ultimately inspected and declared healthy, and the valuable excrement was couriered off to the institute.

Now how on Earth did the USB stick get into the poo?

Well, the most obvious theory is that the owner simply dropped it on the scat while collecting it, but for NIWA researchers, things are never that easy.

The scientists found the memory stick surrounded by feathers and tiny bird bones, just too enmeshed for it to have been simply dropped in there. NIWA believes the USB stick was actually eaten by a seabird, which in turn was eaten by the seal, only to be later found by the owner of the stick.

That being the actual chain of events or not, the fact here is that there is a USB stick out there in the world that survived being frozen in seal poo for a year. And it still worked. We’ll just let that thought sink in.

]]>https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/21/researchers-track-owner-working-usb-found-frozen-seal-poo/feed/0Australian company designs digital poster that uses smart ink to display the weatherhttps://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/20/australian-company-designed-digital-poster-uses-smart-ink-display-weather/
https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/20/australian-company-designed-digital-poster-uses-smart-ink-display-weather/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 07:08:07 +0000https://www.techly.com.au/?p=101339If you’re anything like me and insist on checking the weather on your phone before you jump out of bed each morning (and while staring blankly at your wardrobe), this ... Read more

If you’re anything like me and insist on checking the weather on your phone before you jump out of bed each morning (and while staring blankly at your wardrobe), this Kickstarter might be of interest!

Typified, a small Australian company that develops internet-connected products, has created a digital poster that displays the weather in real time thanks to smart ink and WiFi.

The central idea behind the project, and Typified’s general product theology, is to: “Release products which don’t ask anything of you to do their job, but help you in your day to day life. These products will be less intrusive ways of expressing the internet and have strong Art and Design influences.”

The screen-printed poster uses smart ink, which has been manipulated at a chemical level to respond to specific stimuli. In this case, the ink responds to a tiny computer that is connected to the internet; once you’ve plugged it in and connected it to your WiFi, the poster takes over.

“We live in an incredible age of connected information but the ways that it integrates into our lives is often intrusive and overly demanding,” the company’s Kickstarter reads.

“Screens ensnare our attention and then usually keep it for much longer than we feel good about. We think there is a place for less attention demanding products which just take care of one important task in an ultra convenient way, whilst also adding to the look and feel of your home or workplace.”

And they may be onto something. The poster can display the weather at different times throughout the day – 8am, 12pm, 4pm,= and 8pm – and updates regularly as the weather forecast changes. One of three symbols will be displayed at a time, grouping similar weather types together:

My biggest criticism is that it can only display one day at a time and doesn’t display specific temperatures (which is critical information when outfit-planning). But this is a good starting point for a unique idea.

Retail price is yet been released, but we do know that after two years of free access to the weather forecast, you will be required to pay approximately $10.50 per year.

]]>https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/20/australian-company-designed-digital-poster-uses-smart-ink-display-weather/feed/0WATCH: Samsung Galaxy S10 leaked after TV station accidentally airs ad earlyhttps://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/20/watch-samsung-galaxy-s10-leaked-tv-station-accidentally-airs-ad-early/
https://www.techly.com.au/2019/02/20/watch-samsung-galaxy-s10-leaked-tv-station-accidentally-airs-ad-early/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 03:16:32 +0000https://www.techly.com.au/?p=101691Oops. It wasn’t long ago that a Samsung advertisement featuring a range of the company’s future technologies was leaked ahead of time, now it’s happened again. This time, however, it ... Read more

It wasn’t long ago that a Samsung advertisement featuring a range of the company’s future technologies was leaked ahead of time, now it’s happened again.

This time, however, it wasn’t their fault. Norwegian TV station TV2 confirmed it accidentally aired an ad for the Galaxy S10 too early, allowing viewers to catch an official glimpse at the features of Samsung’s newest smartphone.

Watch the leak in the player above

Although the commercial is not in English, the features are visibly clear for the Galaxy S10; the ad even features a surprise appearance of the Galaxy Buds.

This is just one day before Samsung’s Unpacked event where the smartphone will be officially released.

The sight of twirling warriors spectacularly swishing their weapons in a graceful dance of light will no longer be exclusive to the Star Wars universe.

France’s fencing federation has decided to officially recognise lightsaber duelling as a competitive sport. Although we shouldn’t expect to see hooded padawans at the Olympics any time soon, the announcement is incredibly significant and rather surprising. Lightsabers, created by George Lucas as for his fictional universe back in the late 70s, has now been given the same status as the foil, epee and sabre, traditional blades and disciplines that have their origins in 15th-century military tradition and have been part of the Olympic Games since 1896.

The move was inspired in part to entice young generations to get off the couch and practice fencing.

“With young people today, it’s a real public health issue. They don’t do any sport and only exercise with their thumbs,” Serge Aubailly, the federation’s secretary-general, told AP News.

“It’s becoming difficult to (persuade them to) do a sport that has no connection with getting out of the sofa and playing with one’s thumbs. That is why we are trying to create a bond between our discipline and modern technologies, so participating in a sport feels natural.”

French organisers of the new sport built it from the ground up, devising a set of rules and technicalities to set lightsaber duelling apart from the lightning-swift, viper style characteristics of traditional fencing. Their intention is to create a flashy competition that’s easy on the eyes and resembles the duels from the movies.

Tournament organiser Michel Ortiz said, “We wanted it to be safe, we wanted it to be umpired and, most of all, we wanted it to produce something visual that looks like the movies, because that is what people expect.”

Duels are three minutes long and participants fight inside a circle marked on the floor. Strikes to the head and torso are worth five points, while hits on arms and legs give three points. A blow on the hands gives just one point.

Competitors win the bout by being the first to hit 15 points or having a higher score than their opponent after three minutes. If both fighters reach ten points, the duel enters “sudden death” where the first to land a head or a body blow wins.

Though the announcement sounds novel, lightsaber fighting competitions have been going on for some years at an informal, amateur level all around the world. There’s even an organisation in the US called “The Saber Legion” which runs the most prestigious lightsaber duelling tournaments in the country.

The rules of the amateur American version are quite different from the new French sport, and its intention is closer to the lighthearted fun of cosplay than a real competition.

France’s lightsaber duels not only legitimises the geeky practice as an official sport and brings the techniques, know-how and lengthy history of fencing to a tradition born in a galaxy far, far away. If you ever wanted to see a Jedi in real life, this is where it all starts.